The Somerset reporter., 1887-02-23
SELECTED.
MoPSEL'S MASTERSTRoKE.
RACHEL CNHltW.

Around the biz, green shoulder Of tit
hill, along the dusty White road, aud oy
er the Ne>kar bridge with its broken
nosed statues. Ncttchen aud Mopse
trudgc into Heidelberg with their cans OF
milk in cart Ncttchcu is Il wrinkled
old woman with "A faded blue cotton pct
ticoat, tucked we'll up to allow easier
swing TO the lank old legs which mu>l
inca sire many mile before sunset. Lit
tie cares Nettchrn if all the world see
that one of her stockings is yellow with II
olingy blue foot, the other Il streaky. I'M
certain brown, very much the color of
Mopsel's coat.
Mopscl is Il dog, Il very scrubby. un.
kcmpt dog, with apparently no good
points at all. rs he plodS forward; for his
eyes are shut to keep out the dust. and
no one can see how soft, and brown. and
bright they are nor can one look through
into his honest dogs heart, worthy of all
human respect, for he does his work
, eheerfully, faithfully, and is we'll a. he
can each day, and the best of us do no
more. His duty i to help Nettchcn drag
the milk-cart and to keep guard over the
cans while She aSCcud> many weary stair
cases with measures of milk. There i a
suggestion of close economy about Mop
sci: lie : thin, his hair j. sparse and
patchy, his canvas harness is mcnded
With odd bits of rope, his legs seem Worn
short with much use even his tail has
been cut off twu-thirlS of its length, his
frugal mistress probably thinking that
the stump needed less feeding than The
whole tail.
\ fair il being nclo III TN 80, H.,
place, and any one interested in bright
eolored haudkerchicls, blue and gray
carthern jugs, gingerbread inlaid with
rancid almonds, baskets, toys and carpet
slippers, may find them here in aetoni>h-
ing quantities. They are hung on lines
hcapcd ON counters made of packiu" huN
*. and spread conlidingly upon the cob
bleStoncs up to the very door of the gray
old Fraucnkirchc. Ncttchcn leav, MOI
sci in charge of the milk-cans in Il ~lfc
place near the pump, and goes across the
platz to ask the price Of gray yarn this
year, and to hear the latest gossip from
kreuzbruncn. where She was born.
Bosco, students dog, sauntcred over
to take Il drink at the pump, While his
master, with half dozen other fellows
in tiny, round blue velvet caps, cmbroid-
cred with silver. sat smoking and playing
SiXty-siX in IA cafe hard by Basco and
Mopsel have often met before, and as us
ual they begin friendly chat.
No one heard nor noticed them, but
NAV not dogs and all intelligent IA imalS
talk together in IA manner OF their own,
with satisfaction equal to that Of Net
tchcn and the woman from krcuzhruncn
gossiping in the wool-boolh;
VERY hot, isn't it, began Mopscl.
"Do you think so: it seemed 10 me
quite fresh, but haven't been exercising,
as You have
"What an easy life yours is, Boseo
You are not obliged to lift paw for any
kind of work, and Fin sure, from your
glossy c nj, that you must get meat very
often-eyery day, perhaps
"Oh dear, yes, Twice day; but FuS-
sells meat has been very tough and bad of
late the Rascal!
Il have two humps of black bread a
day, one in the morning, the other at
night. Not biz Jumps at ALL either |
could eat much more, but the labberts
my people, are very poor They do a.
we'll as they can by me ON Sunday they
gave me a little sour milk and potato
brpt Ia. That : ID .alltltlll collar YOU